Band : The December People
Album title : Rattle And Humbug
Label : Magna Carta
Distributor : Bertus
Release date : 10/10/2010
Release : CD

AS far as I remember, the first album under this monicker (the late October 2001 released Sounds Like Christmas) was a Robert Berry helmed project whom, with some chosen musicians (himself singing and playing the bass, and best known in the Progressive Rock scene for having been the third wheel on Keith Emerson & Carl Palmer's project 3), blended a selection of well-known Christmas songs and carols into a mould of Prog Rock to resemble them as having been made by some of Rock history's giants. Thus, among others, “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” was made to resemble Queen, “Silent Night” was reshaped to resemble having been written by Pink Floyd, and “The First Noel” was reminiscent of King Crimson. Also, Kansas members made a guest appearance to shape “The Light” to their own typical style.

Well, Berry's back with a new such album, this time without guests, but with musicians Gary Phil (guitar; Boston, ex-Sammy Hagar), David Medd (keyboards; The Tubes), and Mike Vanderhule (drums; currently with Y & T, according to the info I've got along with the promo download of the album). This time, they've styled “What Child Is This?” to resemble as if being made by U2, made the combination of “Joy To The World” and “Jingle Bells” sound like a The Who classic, made “Little Drummer Boy” sound like classic ELP, gave the combination of “Up On The Roof Top” and “Feliz Navidad” the sound typical of Santana, turned “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” into a Boston-styled track (hey, with Phil in the band, you know!?), made ZZTop's typical roughness come through in “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, have Led Zeppelin resound in “The Night Before Christmas”, and play “Angels We Have Heard On High” in the style of Peter Gabriel and “Carol Of The Bells” in that of Yes. Leaves me to mention he's also made a new version of “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” in the style of Queen and turned “We Three Kings” to the style of Sting (both done before, so I really wonder why he perpetrated this repeat action, as it was bound to give him some negative response – ach well, there's no “bad” publicity when you're getting attention! By the way, the Boston-styled track God rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is concluded in a such way by a new version of “The First Noel”).

No MySpace or other websites/ pages on this project as far as I could find, so you'll have to make due with the samples posted at the albums' pages at the trusted online sales websites (Amazon.com, etc..., you know!?). Nice, and as far as being listed in my “Favourite Christmas Albums Throughout The Ages” goes, this project is safe...but you won't find 'em in my year-lists (even if I like this a lot)! Also, as this is a sorts of compilation album, you'll not find it rated either!

Tony.